COWARD

There was a Thomas
Coward living at Kellingley in 1708, where he had a daughter Susanna born there
and baptised at Kellington 30th September 1708. It is possible this Thomas was
the grandfather of the Thomas described below. The parish registers for
Kellington have only survived from 1705, though fragmentary "Bishops
Transcripts" exist for earlier years back to 1600. This does not explain where
the families were living between 1708 and 1748, though the following may be significant.

Robert Coward
married (at Ferry Fryston, 24th November 1724) Mary Tree (daughter of Anthony,
baptised at Ferry Fryston, 9th December 1707). Robert died at Beal (buried at
Kellington, 20th February 1764). Mary Coward, widow from Beaghl, buried at
Kellington (22nd September 1769).

Thomas son of Robert (born at Ferry Bridge, baptised at Pontefract, 15th February 1725-26).
Probably the one who married 1.Elizabeth Vandravart, then
2.Mary Dunn (see later).

Thomas Coward (of Knottingley) married (by licence, at Pontefract, 20th May 1727)
Elizabeth
Nell. Thomas died at Knottingley (buried there 14th February 1741-42). Seems not
to be relevant.

Thomas (son of Thomas) baptised at Knottingley (8th September 1728), died young
at Knottingley (buried there, 18th September 1728).

Thomas (son of Thomas) baptised at Knottingley (9th August 1741). Too young to
be relevant.

Thomas Coward married (at Pontefract, 7th August 1727) Anne Ramsden.

A Thomas Coward and his wife Elizabeth are mentioned in a deed (6th June 1727)
concerning property at Darrington, South Elmsall and Hensall, in the respective
parishes of Darrington, South Kirkby and Snaith.

[COWA631] Thomas Coward (of Badsworth) married
1.
(at Pontefract, St. Giles,19th September 1757) Sarah Barber (born at Pontefract, baptised there
at St. Giles, 13th March 1732-33, daughter of Thomas), witnessed by John
Loadsman (parish clerk) and Robt. --- [unreadable]. They had (probably) four children
baptised at Kellington as follows:

However this Thomas
was only shown as born (somewhere) in the parish of Kellington, and not
specifically at either Kellingley or Beale, and there was another Thomas living
in Beal at the same time, and quite probably they were first-cousins. This other
Thomas also had a son Thomas (born at Beal 1751), who is not shown as having
died prior to 1758. It is therefore likely the Thomas baptised in 1758 was of
Kellingley. For completion it should be mentioned that this other Thomas (of
Beal) married 1. (18th November 1748) Elizabeth Vandravart, who died in April 1751,
and Thomas (of Beal) afterwards married 2. (1st April 1752) Mary Dunn. This Thomas died in
January 1765, followed by his widow Mary in September 1769.

William (born at "Kellinley", baptised
13th February 1761);

Mary "Cawood" (born at "Kellaley", baptised
7th February 1763);

Sarah (born at "Kelleley", baptised
30th June 1765.

Sarah ("wife of Thos.") died at "Kelleley" (buried
at Kellington, 15th January 1766). A transcription of her headstone
records:

HERE LIETH THE BODY
OF SARAH WIFE OF THOMAS COWARD WHO DIED JAN YE
15TH 1766 AGE 30 YEARS

They had two children, born at Kellingley and baptised at Kellington as follows:

John (born at "Kelleley", baptised
30th October 1768), possibly married (at Leeds, St. Peter, 3rd May 1789) Mary
Whitehead;

[COWA642] Betty "Cawood" (born
at "Kelleley", baptised
27th June 1770), married John Richardson, see later.

Thomas "Cawood" died at "Kelleley" (buried at
Kellington, 25th July 1770). There is no trace of his widow's subsequent
remarriage or burial, and she is most unlikely to have been the Ann who died at
Beal ("buried by Town" at Kellington, 24th April 1785).

[COWA642] Elizabeth Coward (born 1770, daughter of
Thomas), married
(at Snaith, 29th May 1788)[RICN671] John Richardson (born 1762,
see RICHARDSON).